Multi-piece punch down blade assembly

Abstract

A blade assembly for a punch down tool includes a base member having a mounting block. The mounting block is releasably attachable to the chuck of a punch down tool. First and second extensions are connected to the mounting block. Each extension terminates at a wire-engaging head and has a blade-receiving shoe formed therein. First and second cutting blades are mounted on the first and second blade-receiving shoes, respectively. Each cutting blade has a cutting edge that extends beyond the end of its associated wire-engaging head. The cutting blades are fastened to the shoes by attachment elements that may be ultrasonically welded to the blades. A notch or groove receives a base edge of the cutting surface. The body member is made of glass-filled plastic while the cutting blade is metal.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A blade assembly for use in a punch down tool having a movable, internal, spring-loaded, impact mechanism used to electrically connect a wire to a termination clip, the blade assembly comprising: 
       a base member having a mounting block and an extension, the extension having one end connected to the mounting block and an other end opposite the one end, the extension terminating at the other end at a wire-engaging head and having a blade-receiving shoe formed in the extension at the other end, the mounting block including means for connecting the blade assembly to a said tool;  
       a cutting blade mounted on the blade-receiving shoe, the cutting blade having a cutting edge that extends beyond an end of the wire-engaging head at one end of the blade and the cutting blade further having an end surface that abuts an abutment adjacent the blade-receiving shoe at an opposite end of the blade.  
     
     
       2. The blade assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an attachment element on said shoe, the attachment element being engageable with the cutting blade for securing the cutting blade to the extension. 
     
     
       3. The blade assembly of  claim 2  wherein the attachment element comprises at least one projection disposed on said shoe. 
     
     
       4. The blade assembly of  claim 3  wherein the cutting blade includes an opening through it for receiving the at least one projection. 
     
     
       5. The blade assembly of  claim 1  wherein the abutment is part of the extension. 
     
     
       6. The blade assembly of  claim 5  wherein the abutment overlies the shoe to define a notch which receives the rear edge of the cutting blade. 
     
     
       7. The blade assembly of  claim 5  wherein the cutting blade includes a pair of side edges perpendicular to the cutting edge and the extension further comprises first and second ledges adjacent the shoe, the side edges of the cutting blade being engaged by the ledges. 
     
     
       8. The blade assembly of  claim 1  further comprising: 
       a second extension connected to the mounting block, the second extension terminating at a wire-engaging head and having a second blade-receiving shoe formed therein;  
       a second cutting blade mounted on the blade-receiving shoe of the second extension, the second cutting blade having a cutting edge that extends beyond an end of the wire-engaging head of the second extension.  
     
     
       9. The blade assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base member is made of molded glass-filled plastic and the cutting blade is made of metal. 
     
     
       10. The blade assembly of  claim 1  wherein the means for connecting the blade assembly to a said tool is releasable. 
     
     
       11. A blade assembly for use in a punch down tool having a movable, internal, spring-loaded, impact mechanism used to electrically connect a wire to a termination clip, the blade assembly comprising: 
       a base member having a mounting block and first and second extensions, the extensions each having one end connected to the mounting block and an other end opposite the one end, the extensions each terminating at the other end at a wire-engaging head and having a blade-receiving shoe formed in each extension at the respective other end, the mounting block including means for connecting the blade assembly to a said tool;  
       first and second cutting blades mounted on the blade-receiving shoes of the first and second extensions, respectively, each cutting blade having a cutting edge that extends beyond an end of the wire-engaging head of the respective extension at one end of the respective blade and each cutting blade having an end surface that abuts a respective abutment adjacent each of the blade-receiving shoes at an opposite end of the respective blade.  
     
     
       12. The blade assembly of  claim 11  further comprising first and second attachment elements mounted on the blade-receiving shoes of the first and second extensions, respectively, the attachment elements being engageable with the respective cutting blade on its respective extension for securing said respective cutting blade to the respective extension. 
     
     
       13. The blade assembly of  claim 12  wherein each of the first and second attachment elements comprises at least one projection. 
     
     
       14. The blade assembly of  claim 13  wherein each of the first and second cutting blades includes an opening through it for receiving the at least one projection of the respective attachment element. 
     
     
       15. The blade assembly of  claim 11  wherein each of the abutments forms part of the respective extension. 
     
     
       16. The blade assembly of  claim 15  wherein each abutment on each extension overlies its respective shoe to define a notch which receives the end surface of the cutting blade associated with that extension. 
     
     
       17. The blade assembly of  claim 15  wherein one of the cutting blades includes a pair of side edges perpendicular to the respective cutting edge and the extension supporting said one cutting blade further comprises first and second ledges adjacent the respective shoe, the side edges of the one cutting blade being engaged by the ledges. 
     
     
       18. The blade assembly of  claim 11  wherein the base member is made of molded glass-filled plastic and the cutting blade is made of metal. 
     
     
       19. The blade assembly of  claim 11  wherein the means for connecting the blade assembly to a said tool is releasable. 
     
     
       20. The blade assembly of  claim 19  wherein the means for connecting is an L-shaped groove. 
     
     
       21. A blade assembly for use in a punch down tool having a movable, internal, spring-loaded, impact mechanism used to electrically connect a wire to a termination clip, the blade assembly comprising: 
       a base member having a mounting block and an extension, the extension having one end connected to the mounting block and an other end opposite the one end, the extension terminating at the other end at a wire-engaging head and having a blade-receiving shoe formed in the extension at the other end, the mounting block connecting the blade assembly to said tool;  
       a cutting blade mounted on the blade-receiving shoe, the cutting blade having a cutting edge that extends beyond an end of the wire-engaging head at one end of the blade and the blade further having an end surface that abuts an abutment adjacent the blade-receiving shoe at an opposite end of the blade.  
     
     
       22. The blade assembly of  claim 21  further comprising an attachment element on said shoe, the attachment element being engageable with the cutting blade for securing the cutting blade to the extension. 
     
     
       23. The blade assembly of  claim 22  wherein the attachment element comprises at least one projection disposed on said shoe. 
     
     
       24. The blade assembly of  claim 23  wherein the cutting blade includes an opening through it for receiving the at least one projection. 
     
     
       25. The blade assembly of  claim 21  wherein the abutment is part of the extension. 
     
     
       26. The blade assembly of  claim 25  wherein the abutment overlies the shoe to define a notch which receives the end surface of the cutting blade. 
     
     
       27. The blade assembly of  claim 25  wherein the cutting blade includes a pair of side edges perpendicular to the cutting edge and the extension further comprises first and second ledges adjacent the shoe, the side edges of the cutting blade being engaged by the ledges. 
     
     
       28. The blade assembly of  claim 21  further comprising: 
       a second extension connected to the mounting block, the second extension terminating at a wire-engaging head and having a second blade-receiving shoe formed therein;  
       a second cutting blade mounted on the blade-receiving shoe of the second extension, the second cutting blade having a cutting edge that extends beyond an end of the wire-engaging head of the second extension.  
     
     
       29. The blade assembly of  claim 21  wherein the base member is made of molded glass-filled plastic and the cutting blade is made of metal. 
     
     
       30. The blade assembly of  claim 21  wherein the mounting block further comprises a releasable locking element for locking the blade assembly in the tool. 
     
     
       31. A blade assembly for use in a punch down tool having a movable, internal, spring-loaded, impact mechanism used to electrically connect a wire to a termination clip, the blade assembly comprising: 
       a base member having a mounting block and first and second extensions, the extensions each having one end connected to the mounting block and an other end opposite the one end, the extensions each terminating at the other end at a wire-engaging head and having a blade-receiving shoe formed in each extension at the respective other end, the mounting block connecting the blade assembly to said tool;  
       first and second cutting blades mounted on the blade-receiving shoes of the first and second extensions, respectively, each cutting blade having a cutting edge that extends beyond an end of the wire-engaging head of the respective extension at one end of the respective blade and each cutting blade having an end surface that abuts a respective abutment adjacent each of the blade-receiving shoes at an opposite end of the respective blade.  
     
     
       32. The blade assembly of  claim 31  further comprising first and second attachment elements mounted on the blade-receiving shoes of the first and second extensions, respectively, the attachment elements being engageable with the respective cutting blade on its respective extension for securing said respective cutting blade to the respective extension. 
     
     
       33. The blade assembly of  claim 32  wherein each of the first and second attachment elements comprises at least one projection. 
     
     
       34. The blade assembly of  claim 33  wherein each of the first and second cutting blades includes and opening through it for receiving the at least one projection of the respective attachment element. 
     
     
       35. The blade assembly of  claim 31  wherein each of the abutments forms part of the respective extension. 
     
     
       36. The blade assembly of  claim 35  wherein each abutment on each extension overlies its respective shoe to define a notch which receives the end surface of the cutting blade associated with that extension. 
     
     
       37. The blade assembly of  claim 35  wherein one of the cutting blades includes a pair of side edges perpendicular to the respective cutting edge and the extension supporting said one cutting blade further comprises first and second ledges adjacent the respective shoe, the side edges of the one cutting blade being engaged by the ledges. 
     
     
       38. The blade assembly of  claim 31  wherein the base member is made of molded glass-filled plastic and the cutting blades are made of metal. 
     
     
       39. The blade assembly of  claim 31  wherein the mounting block further comprises a releasable locking element for locking the blade assembly in the tool. 
     
     
       40. The blade assembly of  claim 39  wherein the locking element is an L-shaped groove.